First Gen Coilover Thread ver: 2018

[Imp558]

I'm almost ready and will be cutting brackets off the struts this week if all goes well.

 

This brings me to a couple of challenges, first, I ordered springs last year and realized when they didn't come that the order with Summit never went through so I have no springs.

This is actually cool now because the Regal is obviously not getting them so I need to figure the weights and stuff for the new car.

 

Does anybody know a resource for vehicle curb weights or know the curb weight of a 1995 Regal Coupe?

 

The best I found was this site:

 

http://www.whatiscurbweight.com/vehicle-weight/buick_curb_weight.htm

 

They generically list 1995 Regal as 2955 lbs without saying if that's the Sedan or Coupe.

 

Then my second challenge, I'm running KYB AGX struts and they're a little unique in the diameter so there are no sleeves for them. I ordered sleeves that are a little loose on them because they were the closest in size.

 

I found another forum where someone was doing a coilover conversion with them and they used tape on the body of the strut to make up the slight gap.

Lately I've been thinking about doing a turn or two of tape just at the bottom to seal it and then masking the threads on the sleeves and pouring or injecting something like a bunch of epoxy in the small gap. Another thought was to tape up the threads and smear a large amount of epoxy onto the strut and slide the tube on which would make a huge mess.

 

Anybody have any ideas on how to fill a small gap like that with something durable or should I just wrap it in tape?

 

I'll be taking pictures and potatodocumenting this as I go.

 

 

 

 

[rich_e777]

IIRC from the big ole thread of how to lower a W-body, I thought the coil over sleeves had to be pressed on with a machine? I bought some slightly used ones from Miko K way back in the day and they look like they came with the sleeves or he had them painted after they were pressed on.

[Imp558]

I thought they were a sweat fit.

[GTP091]

I bought sleeves, sleeve nut and hyperco springs for all corners many years ago from a-1 and am in the process of putting in new springs up front. I went with 10†400lb Aldan upfront. My sleeves were just a bit loose and I originally used 2 wraps of electrical tape wrap at the bottom mid and top of where the sleeve sits on the strut body. My car is a garage queen so certainly no daily driver but the tape was still snug and it was hard to get the sleeves off again. You could try very thin sheet plastic like you’d get at a craft store but it would need to be just right or will be to loose or you’ll never get it on all the way. Silicone spray really helps here. My hyperco progressive springs chewed up the sleeve on the front at the top so I cut them down from 5†to 2 inches. That extra 3†would never get used. The sleeve nut wasn’t even screwed up on the sleeve at all. It was as low as it would go. I’ll still have 2†to raise if needed. If you check my pictures you can see what it used to look like. Make sure you have an isolator somewhere so it’s not all metal on metal.

What are you using for sleeve bearings up front? What have you done with the top hat to hold the spring centered and supported?

[Imp558]

I have to take inventory, ordered most of it last year. I should be looking through that stuff this weekend and making a list of what's missing. Did you use rubber isolators top and bottom?

[GTP091]

I have to take inventory, ordered most of it last year. I should be looking through that stuff this weekend and making a list of what's missing. Did you use rubber isolators top and bottom?

I made rubber isolators out of very dense rubber and it just squished right out as soon as I put weight on it. A real piss off as it took a long time to cut them to a perfect shape.

Energy suspension used to have 2.5†poly coil over isolators but I can’t find them now. They only have odd sizes. So I made my own with a 2.5 and 4 inch hole saw and one of those white plastic cutting boards. Theyve worked great so far. Keeps the vibrations lower. It’s not polyurethane but polysomething else. Still very stiff but more brittle. Does the same job.

[Imp558]

Sounds like nylon, I've seen them in 2.5" from other places. When I order mine I'll post. I'm thinking about that tube stuff to keep them from chafing against the sleeve fir the first few inches.

[Imp558]

Took a couple inventory pictures today so I can see what else needs ordered. That's a LOT of bad-ass for one picture!

 

So far I see springs, isolators, the tube isolators to keep the springs from wrecking the threads on the sleeves, and another set of bushings since I cannot find the missing one for that lat link.

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2018 by Imp558

[Mach 5]

put the ers tenders on the sleeve side. they will remain for the most part compressed. Torrington bearing on top hat.

 I think that's it.

[Imp558]

Just rear tenders? Shouldn't need them for the front? Really not for ride quality, just to keep everything seated.

[Mach 5]

seated is ride quality

[Imp558]

True, but I'm referring to when the car is off the ground or hard corners. I'm running poly on everything but trailing arms and subframe. And looking at molding and pouring subframe bushings for next year.

[Imp558]

Gee, 10" springs seemed pretty short until I started measuring things on this car.

[GTP091]

Does the shock bolt directly to the camber plate on this?  I had thought the issue was guys getting fatigue cracks over time doing that because there was absolutely no give. 

 

Where did you get the lateral arms from??

 

Are you using a spring bump isolators to keep the car from bottoming out?  

[Imp558]

The struts do bolt to the spherical bearings. These things aren't thin aluminum plate though, they're thick and tough milled from solid pieces. They're RRRI, and the first set sold I think.

 

http://www.w-body.com/topic/55063-radical-revs-race-mods-1st-gen-adjustable-billet-strut-mounts/

 

The lats are modified second Gen lats from GOT2BGM, I'm not sure if he's still modifying them or not since Dorman quit making them but I assume the same process could be applied to other brands.

I haven't seen his thread on them in a while but I have a custom set of 3800 dogbones from him too.

 

http://www.w-body.com/topic/52626-got2b-gm-billet-aluminum-dogbone-engine-mounts-w-es-bushings-28-31-34-dohc/

 

As far as bump stops go I'm curious what I'm going to do there too, I suppose I could always slide the ones like a first Gen uses up front onto the strut shafts all the way around.

[Imp558]

On the topic of isolators, I just called Summit and asked if there was a size or particular isolator that was recommended for use with 2.5" QA1 springs.

The guy acted like I was crazy, like I was doing something nobody did so maybe it's not necessary. I'm going to run without and see if there's significant enough road noise to bother me.

 

I'm guessing between the exhaust and stereo it's not going to be unnerving.

 

Here's a thread I made on lat link bushings, might as well cross link to it here...

 

http://www.w-body.com/topic/56104-rear-lateral-link-poly-bushings-2017/?hl=%2Blateral+%2Blink+%2Bpoly

[Imp558]

Summit salesman also thought I was crazy asking if there was a product to help protect the sleeve from the spring, Whoop! DER IT IS!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Allstar-Performance-ALL64201-Shock-Protector/dp/B00F0CE8L0

 

Dumbass, I should call back and try to get a salesman that knows something, I bet the 2 1/8" ID isolators are intended for 2 1/2" coilovers and the dipshit didn't know because him and his Honda Homeboys never deemed it necessary.

[GTP091]

To funny about summit racing I bought my Torrington bearings from them. It’s likely because they don’t sell the isolators so that means they don’t exist so aren’t needed. I’d suggest you run the isolators though; I did not and did not care for the direct metal to metal contact. My stereo is also very built but you’ll feel everything. But to each his own.

On the topic of bump stops I did not run them either but had a bottom out incident that’s was very undesirable going over a woop in the road. Not very good if this happened in a corner. In my reassembly I’m using a shaved oem stop. Will take the grunt if this ever gets close again. I’m thinking it won’t though as the new springs are not progressive so should load up better this time around. The oem gaiters will not be useable but I have some others that will to help protect the shock tube.

[Imp558]

I'm a little surprised how well that worked. Can't get the plates on top yet, the lower bushings are a few thou too tight. No biggie, a few seconds with a flapper and it's all done. Just three more to go!

 

 

[GTP091]

What is the purpose of the bell shaped thing on the 3 struts you have sitting on the cardboard box.?  It looks like the upper bearing plate from a front strut has been welded on the rear strut?

[Imp558]

Those were spring seats. My car is running second gen suspension.

 

[Imp558]

Am I correct in thinking the spring's footprint on the bearing is shit and there should be an isolator between them?

 

[Mach 5]

no isolator needed.

[Imp558]

no isolator needed.

 

Okay cool. I may add them later if vibration becomes an issue but ultimately this is getting a built, intercooled L67 with 2 1/2" exhaust through a Thrush Welded series muffler and a Walbro 255 fuel pump. Where vibration noise is concerned I suppose I need to choose my battles.

[GTP091]

 

 

I’ve always wondered about the 2gen swap. What donor did you use? Do you keep the oem control arm? Is this swap just to reduce bulk?